1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cash processing system that automatically performs cash handling operations associated with banking services and so forth. More specifically, the invention relates to a cash processing system that performs automatic stacking of cash in a safe, manages the said safe, dispenses cash from the safe and holds cash that the user has inadvertently not retrieved and other banking associated operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, cash handling apparatuses such as automatic teller's machines (ATM), cash dispensers and so forth have been widely used in banking services and so forth. Such cash handling apparatuses include a detachable cash safe that feeds cash from the safe set therein to a cash stacker for dispensing the same. Filling of the cash safe is labor intensive work and requires very high security. Furthermore, because of manual operation, there is the possibility of errors or theft occurring during placement of the cash in the cash safe. Therefore, there is the need for the reduction of labor and the maintenance of a high level of security.
The conventional practice for placing cash in the cash safe for access to the cash handling apparatus involves a responsible worker obtaining the necessary amount of cash from a cashier, manually setting the cash in the cash safe and then performing a key input (through a key array of the cash handling apparatus) for the set amount of cash.
Similarly, for recovering cash, the said worker manually withdraws the cash from the cash safe, performs a counting operation, issues a receipt and returns the cash to the cashier.
Because of the nature of handling the cash, complete security and error free operation is desired. In the prior art, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2-21393 proposes a cash safe incorporating a memory. The cash safe is connected to a computer for inputting an amount of money set in the safe thus making the amount of cash in the safe definite to prevent theft or error from occurring. However, even in the proposed system, management of the safe is still performed by the responsible person having a key. In other words, the person possessing the key still has access to the cash in the safe thereby maintaining the possibility of error or theft, occurring. Especially, in view of the current trend for holiday banking services that require authorization of the management of the cash safe to a third party, such as security services, the possibility of the above problems occurring has increased.
On the other hand, from the viewpoint of service to customers, manual operation of placing cash in the safe, and setting the cash safe in the cash handling apparatus can cause inconvenience during service time. Namely, when the safe and cash handling apparatus are empty, the apparatus becomes inoperative until additional cash is placed within the same. Resetting the filled cash safe is performed by a process identical to that set forth above. Such process is clearly time consuming and thus can cause unnecessary inconvenience for the customer.
Also, when customer forgets retrieve the cash from the cash handling apparatus, it is the current practice to restore the cash in the apparatus and place the unretrieved cash in cash storage with identification of the customer. However, in current practice, checking identification is very cumbersome and time consuming work when the customer returns to retrieve the money.
In addition, it is also possible that the cash safe will be set to the incorrect cash handling apparatus. When the cash safe is set to incorrect cash handling apparatus a discrepancy between the existing cash in the safe and the recorded amount can result in confusion, and, when management of the cash safe is authorized to a third party, such as security services, incorrect placement of a safe in a cash handling apparatus having different banking services is a strong possibility.
In view of the various inconveniences associated with the currently available cash processing systems in the banking services and so forth, improvement measures ensuring greater efficiency, higher security and enhanced services are clearly required.